Trademark Working Group Releases 2015 Counterfeiting Report
The Trademark Working Group has released its 2015 report on notorious counterfeiting markets. This year's report highlights physical and online markets in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Nigeria and Paraguay.
"Although the spread of online purveyors of counterfeit goods is alarming, we were surprised by the number of physical marketplaces where spurious products may be purchased, both on a retail and wholesale basis," stated Holland & Knight Washington, D.C.-based partner Paul Kilmer, founder and spokesperson for the Trademark Working Group.
In China, the report notes 10 physical markets and two online vendors of counterfeit goods, including Taobao.com and JD.com (Jingdong). It also identifies two physical markets for spurious goods in Argentina, five in Brazil, 25 in India, and 13 in Nigeria and the counterfeiting zone of Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. The counterfeit products ranged from automotive parts and toys to luxury goods and computer software.
"Shutting down these markets poses tremendous issues of resource allocation by the aggrieved companies and the mustering of political will by the nations where the counterfeiting activity is taking place," said Mr. Kilmer. "We do not see any overall improvement in anti-counterfeiting enforcement since many of the marketplaces for illicit goods in this year's report are the same as those identified by our members last year."
The report was prepared with the assistance of Holland & Knight attorney Dan Neustadt. The Trademark Working Group's efforts were supported by law firms in the nations where counterfeit goods were detected, which provided verification and other input included in the final report.
The Trademark Working Group, which was formed in 2013, includes in-house counsel from Fortune 500 companies, certification mark owners and smaller companies with international business operations representing a broad range of industries and service sectors. The group's goal is to collect information from U.S. businesses and law firms regarding trademark laws and practices of foreign nations that deny adequate protection to trademark rights.